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"It all has to do with we have 125 precincts as opposed to 167," Schuylkill County commissioners Chairwoman Mantura M. Gallagher said. "I don't think I've ever seen things move so smoothly at the front desk."

Tuesday's Primary Election was the first since voting precincts were redrawn, consolidating polling places across the county. While there were fewer places, the same number of voting machines were used, with more distributed among fewer locations. The changes did cause some confusion.

"This will all be a good first run for November," Gallagher said. "It is a real test. I know today there were a few who were uncertain of their poling place."

Election Bureau Director Frannie Brennan said in Tuesday's edition of The Republican-Herald that everyone affected by the changes received a card in the mail and anyone unsure of their voting location could call the election bureau. On Tuesday night, she said she had some phone calls.

"It was no big deal," she said.

In spite of the limited confusion and persistent rain, and the fact that it was a primary election, 32.92 percent of the county's registered Republican and Democratic voters came out to vote Tuesday. Of the 80,297 signed up with one of the two main parties, 26,436 went to the polls.

About 31,000 voters cast ballots in the 2009 General Election, equivalent to about 33 percent of the registered voters at that time.

In the May 21 spring primary last year, 25,285 turned out to vote, which was 28.72 percent of the then-registered voters.

In the 2008 General Election, more than 62,000 county voters out of a record 94,178 registered - about 66 percent - turned out at the polls in a presidential election year.

"It's been busier than I thought it would be, especially with the weather," Frackville South Judge of Election Mary Ann Pautienus said of Tuesday's election.

She said 183 of 986 registered voters had already been to the poll by 12:30 p.m.

Pautienas said the redrawn voting precincts did not seem to have an effect on Frackville South.

"Almost everyone who came in so far was supposed to be here," she said.

However, Allen Wirtz a poll worker in Mahanoy City said there was some confusion after the borough's polling places were consolidated to four.

"We are now the fourth precinct, a combination of the sixth and seventh," Wirtz said Tuesday afternoon. "Some of the elderly people are a little confused about where they are supposed to vote."

Linda Yulanavage, Judge of Election at Tamaqua's third precinct, said it was hard to tell if the turnout was good because of the consolidation. Tamaqua has four precincts down from six.

"We've been pretty busy. I would say it is average as far as a primary goes," Yulanavage said. "It is a little bit confusing; someone may have voted here before but now, because of the new precincts, may have to go somewhere else. We've been calling the election bureau, and they have been very helpful directing people."

Yulanavage said she was glad the change happened before a primary election.

"I think it is a little easier with a primary rather than if it would have been a general election where there might have been a local or more contested race," she said.

Schuylkill Haven resident Jane Deibert said she votes in every election, primary or general.

"I am a loyal voter. I was brought up to think that if you don't vote, you can't speak your mind or your peace," Deibert said.

In Pottsville, turnout was good with not much confusion according to seventh ward, precinct two workers.

The polls at the Life Center Four Square Church were busy all morning, and there was a line waiting to vote at lunchtime, workers said.

Several people showed up at the church to vote, but were turned away because of the redesign of precincts. Some said they were not notified of the change.

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1 posted comments

While I favor cutting the number of precients I think it could have been set up better inside the polling place. At the one I voted at there were seperate tables for each precient but no signs as to which was which and that checking in needed to be done at your particular precients table. Naturally when entering the polling place I went to the table closest to the entrance. While the lady was looking in the book for My name a man eventually came along to ask what precient we live in and when we told him he directed us to a table near the rear of the building. Why seperate tables? Why seperate books? Perhaps in November, they can use only one table for both precients or at the very least, place a sign on the tables indicating each precient.